


Tales from the Front

by thievinghippo



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-14
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-01-04 14:37:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 7,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1082168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thievinghippo/pseuds/thievinghippo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mass Effect drabbles, prompt fics and stories which do not fit into the 'Tinkerer's Tale' universe.  Paragon, Renegade, Red, Blue, Green, anything goes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Grunt: Consequence

Three months after the Reapers were defeated, the krogan realize something is wrong.  The first batches of eggs, all fertilized after the genophage cure was released should be hatching. 

Baby’s cries should fill the air.  Parents should be grumbling about waking up in the middle of night, but secretly smiling.  Tuchanka should be full of hope.

The numbers start rolling in.  Only one out of 100,000 eggs are surviving.  The numbers are no different than before the cure.  No one wants to accept it at first.  No one wants to believe the truth. 

The genophage cure didn’t work.

And with Eve and Wreav dead, hope for the krogan might as well be dead, too. 

While there seems to be no hope for the krogan, there is hope for Tuchanka.  No one is sure why the Reapers are suddenly working for organics instead of killing them, rebuilding cities, helping the krogan whatever way they can.  Even with their help, within a few generations, these new cities will be barren.  The Reapers are building future tombs. 

Grunt waits anxiously with the woman who agreed to mate with a tank-born.  He never expected this chance.  The chance to be a father.  The tank is no help in that regards.  It left him with no wisdom on how to raise a son or daughter. 

The three months after the Reapers were changed, Grunt read every article he could, trying to learn how to be a parent.  That was when he missed his Battlemaster the most.  She had never been a mother herself, but she was wise in all things. 

His mate used to smile at his worry on those rare occasions she let him look at her without her veil.  They would figure out how to raise their children  _together,_  she told him.  Before the news, he would relax into her gentle touch and believe her. 

As the news spread that eggs simply weren’t hatching, her smile disappeared.  She had lost many children before.  She told him once, after fumbling together in the dark, she didn’t think she could stand to lose more. 

Their eggs should have hatched five days ago. 

Grunt pleads with the protectors of the Void.   _Please let one hatch._

His mate can’t stand to be in the same room with the eggs.  She tells him that she needs fresh air.  She stares at the eggs, tears in her eyes, before she picks up her pistol and leaves their small dwelling.

Grunt wonders if he’ll ever see her again.  He could stop her, of course, but he would never be willing to keep her in a cage.  He cares for her too much.

He is alone when the reports come in.  The salarians are insulted that the krogan believe one of their own could have messed up the genophage cure.  Documents and recorded conversations are released.  The krogan always knew that the salarians didn’t want the cure. 

But what Grunt learns over those extranet reports is that his Battlemaster agreed with them, going so far as to kill the man that would have been savior herself. 

He wants to prove them all wrong.  That the Shepard he knew, his _krantt,_  would never betray the krogan people like that.  But then he receives a message from her mate, simply with the words,  _I_ _’m sorry_ , and Grunt understands that Shepard has betrayed them all.

Half of what’s left of the krogan people want to go to war, with anybody, with everybody.  Better to go down fighting.  The other half seems to be content to let themselves fade out slowly from existence.  

And all Grunt can do is stare at the ghosts of his children and ask, "Why?"


	2. Tali/Femshep: Wedding Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for a tumblr user, who requested femshep and Tali's wedding.

The sunsets were beautiful on Rannoch. 

They flew down in separate shuttles; Tali insisting that they follow the archaic human tradition of not seeing each other on their wedding day.  Shepard didn’t mind, though time was short.  They shouldn’t be making this stop at all, but she couldn’t imagine facing the end of the fight without officially declaring that she and Tali were each others.  That somehow this brilliant, beautiful, shotgun toting Admiral wanted to pledge their lives together. 

The orbital traffic controllers had been surprised to see the _Normandy_.  But the ship wouldn’t be there long, just enough to fly the shuttles down to the very spot Tali declared would be their future home. 

“You ready for this?” Cortez asked from the pilot seat as he set the shuttle down.

“I was ready the moment I saw her throw grenades at Fist’s assassins,” Shepard said with a smile.  She didn’t pursue the young quarian back on the SR-1, thinking Tali didn’t need the complications while on her Pilgrimage.  But the two years Shepard had been dead changed Tali.  She was stronger, more sure of herself.  And the moment she realized that Tali was flirting with her, Shepard knew she didn’t want anyone else by her side. 

The shuttle doors opened, and Shepard closed her eyes, making sure everything was ready.  Something old: the antique locket Tali had bought her as a gift during their last shore leave was around her neck.  Something new: her lacy underwear, which were really starting to itch. The sooner she was out of them, the better. Something borrowed: Shepard picked up the bouquet of purple flowers that Liara had given her, telling Shepard she needed to return them once safely back on the _Normandy_.  And something blue: Her dress blues, pressed, crisp and ready for any inspection. 

She stepped out of the shuttle and watched the other shuttle land.  Garrus stepped out first, wearing civilian clothes for once.  “No armor at the wedding?” Shepard asked with a laugh. 

“Please, Shepard, if I’m marrying you two thanks to an extranet license, I’m damn well going to look good doing it,” Garrus said. 

Shepard gripped the bouquet tightly as Tali stepped out of the shuttle.  Her normal violet scarves and veils were replaced by ones of deep maroon, the color of quarian blood, their color of passion.  She had arranged them differently, allowing the fabric to flow around her, a look impractical for fighting, so one Shepard had never seen before.

“You’re beautiful,” she whispered before she could stop herself. 

Tali tilted her head in a way Shepard knew meant embarrassment.  She reached out her hand and Shepard took it, bringing it to her lips.  Tali’s environmental suit covered her hand, but Shepard knew it was the gesture that mattered. 

“Bosh’tet,” Tali said playfully.  “You’re going to make yourself cry and ruin your make-up.  I can already hear our future babies making fun of us.”

 _Babies._ Shepard’s breath hitched on the word, thinking of Tali round with child, thinking of herself nine months pregnant.  It could happen.  They defeated Cerberus.  They could defeat the Reapers.  They _would_ defeat the Reapers.  And then she and Tali could live a life in peace.   

“Ladies, I hate to remind you but we’re on a schedule,” Garrus said, placing his hands behind his back. 

“Right,” Shepard said, moving so she was standing right next to Tali.  Their fingers intertwined. 

Garrus took a breath.  “Shepard, do you accept Tali as your mate?”

“Yes,” Shepard said, squeezing Tali’s hand.

“Tali, do you accept Shepard as your mate?”

“Yes.”

“Then thanks to power given to me via the extranet, I declare you mates,” Garrus said, his mandibles flaring wide in a grin.  “Now I heard there’s something supposedly about kissing a bride…”

Shepard laughed and simply wrapped her arms around Tali.  Instead of returning the embrace, Tali reached up and unsealed her face mask.

“Tali…”

“Just one kiss, Shepard,” Tali said, tugging slightly on Shepard’s uniform jacket. _“Please.”_

Shepard looked at her mate, her lovely lilac skin with her bright glowing eyes.  She carefully placed her hands on either side of Tali’s face and gently kissed her.  The kiss was shorter than she’d like, but they’d have time for lingering later, in the safety of their cabin. 

Once the kiss ended, Tali smiled gently, her lips curving in a way Shepard knew was only for her.  And then the mask went back on.

Shepard glanced around one more time, picturing what this land would look like in a few years.  With a house, maybe a garden.  And their babies, both quarian and human.  It was a future worth fighting for.  But now it was time to hop back onto the shuttle and head to the _Normandy_. 

“Come on,” Shepard said, putting her arm around Tali’s thin shoulders, while Tali slipped her arm around Shepard’s waist.  “We have a galaxy to save.”


	3. Traynor/Femshep: Kiss in the Rain

For the tumblr prompt: Traynor/Shepard, kiss in the rain. 

* * *

 

“Few more steps and we’ll be outside, love,” Traynor said, holding tight onto the crook of Shepard’s arm.

The glare Shepard gave her could only be described as _withering_ , and it was that look – not the doctor’s reports or any cheery prognosis from Shepard herself – that convinced Traynor that things really would work out in the end.

Three months had passed since the end of the Reaper War and Shepard had finally gotten permission from the hospital to go outside for brief periods during the day. Traynor had placed a chair right outside the door, knowing the walk from Shepard’s hospital room outside would exhaust her girlfriend.

The moment the doors opened, Traynor looked at Shepard, who closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Guess it’d be too much to ask for sun,” Shepard said softly. “Feels nice though.”

Traynor led Shepard to the chair and helped her get comfortable. They had such a long road ahead of them, with Shepard’s broken body and fragile state of mind. There would be no jumping in the shower for the two of them, not for a long time. But at least Traynor took over Shepard’s sponge baths a month ago, when the _Normandy_ made it back to Earth.

“It’s never sunny in Vancouver, you know that,” Traynor said. “Be grateful it’s not pouring.”

There was a fine mist though. Not enough to bring them back indoors, but enough to cool their skin.

Traynor grabbed another chair and planted herself right next to Shepard. She sat close enough to count the seventeen freckles on Shepard’s cheeks and hear the slight rasp at the end of each breath. She offered her hand, palm up to Shepard, who took her hand at once.

"Think it’s even possible to find a retriever?" Shepard asked as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back.

With her free hand, she cupped Shepard’s cheek, turning her head slightly. “I’ll find one,” Traynor said.

The mist turned into a solid drizzle, but Traynor ignored it all, wiping some of the wetness from Shepard’s cheek. Shepard leaned forward and Traynor didn’t hesitate, pressing her lips against Shepard’s, tasting the rain.

The kiss was soft, gentle, even, but filled with longing. Shepard pulled away just slightly, before asking, her voice as quiet as Traynor had ever heard, “Promise?”

Traynor nodded, before sealing the promise with a kiss.


	4. Vega: Druxy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Druxy: Something which looks good on the outside, but is actually rotten inside.

The only sound in the iridium vault was Tali working on her omni-tool, desperate to find a way past the locks. The rest of Team Hammerhead was silent.

Vega sat on the floor, wanting to conserve his energy. “I thought she was cute,” he finally muttered under his breath.

“What was that, Mister Vega?” Cortez asked, raising his eyebrows.

Vega looked across at Cortez and felt a twinge of guilt. Cortez was a pilot, not a grunt; he shouldn’t even be here. But Vega had goaded him when they were choosing teams, saying that they needed one more and if Cortez was scared…

“Brooks,” Vega said, looking up and meeting Cortez’ eyes. “She was cute, no? Back at the apartment, I thought…”

Cortez crossed his arms over his chest. “Okay, this I need to hear. What exactly did you think?”

Vega shrugged. “Dunno, Esteban. We’re on shore leave, right? Thought since I’m single, if she’s single, maybe she and I could have had some fun.”

“You know she’s insane, right?” Cortez asked.

“Well, yeah,” Vega said, defending himself. “Now.”

Cortez leaned his head back against the vault. “You have horrible taste in women. Always pick the wrong ones.”

Vega thought about Lola and how she didn’t have eyes for anyone but Scars. “Yeah,” Vega said with a sigh. “I know.”


	5. Tali: Capernoited

The Rec Room of the Neema was crowded; Tali wove between groups of quarians, determined to get to the bar. She needed a drink.  
  
She quickly poured herself two shots, ignoring the looks around her. On the Flotilla, quarians hardly ever drank. Alcohol was a luxury rarely indulged in, not when food and medicine were so much more important to barter for. Drinking was for Pilgrimage, when you spent your own money and resources, not the Flotilla’s.  
  
Tali thought longingly of the collection of dextro liquor that had been on the Normandy.  
  
She raised the first glass and thought of Shepard. “For Earth,” Tali muttered quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear her. with the help of the straw, Tali drank it down. Behind her mask, she coughed. The drink was much stronger than she expected.  
  
Garrus was next in her thoughts. She lifted the second glass. “For Palaven.”

The alcohol seemed to go through her system almost at once and Tali already felt her shoulders relaxing. She had known this day was coming. And she wanted to be brave, to help the Flotilla prepare for the upcoming fight. But part of her just wanted to go back to a time when she little, safe in her bubble, and have her parents tell her everything would be okay.  
  
The floor tilted slightly as she stepped away from the bar. She needed to sit down. Her head hurt.  
  
Tali found an empty chair near the door and sat down. It was really starting. The Reapers…  
  
All she had were written reports, no vids. And here she was, having no way to find out if the people she considered her family were still alive. Her messages were returned to her. The only thing certain was their worlds were burning.  
  
She wanted another drink, but a third would look selfish. Instead, she crossed her legs and looked out the small port window, wondering if she could see Trebia or Sol from where she sat.  
  
“Keelah se’lai, Shepard and Garrus. Keelah se’lai.”


	6. Mordin: Petrichor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Petrichor: a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather.

_Please._

Unexpected. Unnerving. But not... unwelcome.

Mordin breathed deeply, the fresh air filling his lungs. Been too long since he lived planet side. Too many ships or stations. Missed dirt under feet, air not recycled.

Glad to be back on Sur'Kesh.

Decision was right. Never doubt. Never doubt. Genophage proper decision at the proper time.

But now? Ethical crossroads.

STG would never allow them to leave. Mordin looked up, feeling a drizzle of rain. STG base in jungle, rain a common occurrence. Another thing missed. Weather.

The krogan females would spend rest of natural lives inside a cell. Never have the chance again to see the sun. He started pacing.

"Reapers threat to galaxy. Galaxy will need krogan. Urdnot Wrex intelligent, for krogan. Took in Weyrloc women and children. Will use galaxy's need for krogan as leverage. Will need cure for genophage."

There it was. Mordin closed his eyes and breathed. He thought of the Maelon's data, stored away from prying eyes. Horrible tests, horrible procedures, but now paramount to ending Reaper threat.

"No choice. No other option." Mordin opened his eyes, sure of his path.

_She said, 'please.'_

He brought up his omni-tool. When they parted, Shepard insisted Mordin take Urdnot Wrex's extranet address. Asked Mordin to contact him with questions. Try to see another side. Mordin never made the call.

He scrambled the sending address, so mail couldn't be traced back to him. Then with a touch of the interface, the vids of the krogan females were sent. Urdnot Wrex would know what to do when the time was right.

Mordin blinked. Commander Shepard spotted in turian space. Summit is soon. Perfect place for Urdnot Wrex to make demands. Hopefully evidence sent in time. He headed back inside.

His hand stopped just before keying himself back into the base. Old memories surfacing. Failed reproduction negotiations. Mordin would have been proud to father a child.

He pushed the keypad and stepped inside. His work could allow others to be fathers, to be mothers.

Possibly even save galaxy.

Too much pressure if thought of like that. Personalize the cure. Too many krogan to think of them all. Think of female krogan in base. Think of her stories of eggs not hatching and babies not breathing.

He may never be a father but he could make her a mother. That he could do. That he _would_ do.

_Please._


	7. Tali: Sphallolalia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sphallolalia - Flirtatious talk that leads nowhere

Okay, she’ll be here soon.

Take a deep breath.  You can do this.  People all over the galaxy tell each other how they feel all the time.  It’s not that big of a deal. 

Oh Keelah, she’s here. 

Stay calm.  Look at the console, pretend to work.  Don’t eavesdrop on the Cerberus Twins.  Look at the figures until she walks over here… Damn it, Garrus.  Guns are not more important than the Drive Core.  Next time he does this hack his visor to only show volus porn.

She’s walking over… Keep looking at the console.  Don’t turn until she starts talking…

Remember, don’t tell her about the infection, she doesn’t need to know.  Don’t want her thinking you’re weak.  You’re not.  You’re strong… You are.  Stronger than you think.

Turn around slowly.  Keelah, she’s so pretty.  Wonder what it would be like to hug her without armor?  Oh, stop thinking about that hug.  But it was such a wonderful hug…

You, Bosh’tet!  Why did you tell her about the infection?  She didn’t need to know!

Okay, you can turn this around.  Tell her about linking suits.  Tell her you’d link suits with her.  She’ll understand.  Stop thinking about being out of your suit with her.  Stop it. Stop it now.

There.  That was better.  Now it’s out there.  Now she knows.

Is she teasing?  You just bared your soul and she’s teasing?  Oh Keelah, why did you say anything about the infection? 

Wait… she feels the same way?  Shepard feels…

Oh. 

Trust.  Not…

Well, trust is good. Not want you hoped, but trust is good.  Don’t act too disappointed.  Shoulders back, no hunching.  Act casual like nothing has changed.

Don’t stare at her ass as she walks away…

Stop it.  Stop staring.

Don’t even look at the Cerberus twins.  They probably didn’t hear anything. Hopefully.

Concentrate on your job.  You don’t need a relationship anyway…

Wonder if Kal’Reegar wants to vid chat tonight?


	8. Tali: Date Night

_Shepard was alive._

Tali read the report again. Shepard was seen on one of Palaven’s moons. Tali laughed; if Shepard was anywhere near Palaven, no doubt she found her bosh’tet boyfriend. They were safe. That’s all that mattered.

“Ma’am, datapad from Admiral Gerrel.” Tali took the datapad from the unknown quarian with a nod.

She had only read the first sentence when her omni-tool beeped. “We could use another opinion about the drive core!” called out the chief engineer of the Neema. Damn it, she thought she had fixed the problem last night.

“Be right there,” Tali said at once, grabbing two more datapads off the table. She could read as she walked. Gerrel’s message was short and to the point. Shepard was holding a war summit on the _Normandy_ for galactic leaders. The quarians hadn’t been invited.

Tali stopped and leaned against the wall, not understanding. Shepard had invited the krogan but not the quarians? How often had they talked back on the SR-2 that the quarian fleet would be vital to the fighting the Reapers? But now they were being left on the sidelines. Again.

The datapad updated with a message from Admiral Xen, saying if the quarians weren’t needed in the fight against the Reapers, perhaps it was time to make their plans of taking back the homeworld a reality. Gerrel quickly agreed while Korris said more discussion was needed. _Keelah,_ the worst part of being an admiral was dealing with the other admirals sometimes.

Her omni-tool beeped again and Tali’s face flushed, recognizing the custom tone she used when Kal’Reegar messaged her. She started walking again, placing the datapads under her arm and bringing up her omni-tool interface.

_Saw the report that your old commander is alive. She really is as good as you said. If you’d like, we could meet in the lounge tonight to discuss the report in person._

If she’d like? Of course she liked! Suddenly the datapads no longer felt like anchors around her neck and she was certain the drive core problem would be easily fixed. Tali walked with a bit more sway in her hips.

She had a date tonight.


	9. Nyreen Kandros: Are you Challenging Me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set during basic training for Nyreen Kandros and Solana Vakarian

“Kandros, Vakarian, you’re up.”

Solana closed her eyes briefly, trying to ready herself for the match. Friendly sparring matches where it didn’t matter who won or lost she could handle. This? A graded match in front of their entire squad? She was a tech specialist, not a soldier. The most she hoped for was not making a fool of herself.

She hadn’t fought Kandros before, wasn’t sure of her strengths and weaknesses. Spirits, after two months of basic training, Sol still wasn’t sure of her own strength and weaknesses. Hand to hand combat certainly wasn’t one of them, though. Her eleven year old brother was better at hand to hand than she was. It was embarrassing.

Sol cracked her neck and wracked her brain for what she knew of Kandros’ fighting style. In the two months their squad had been together, Kandros mainly kept to herself. Sol had hoped to find a friend with the only other pure tech in the squad. Instead, Kandros was aloof and seemed to have a better-than-you attitude that rubbed Sol the wrong way. They seemed to always disagree on engineering techniques, technical theories, and once, even what sort of spice to best season their morning _ratka._

Sol stepped into the ring and stood at attention, waiting for permission to settle into a fighting stance. Across from her, Kandros mirrored the action. Their eyes met, and Sol was reminded that Kandros had some of the prettiest eyes she had ever seen. Her mandibles fluttered slightly, but she clamped them tight against her mouth, not wanting to give anything away. Her eyes didn’t matter. She was still going to take her down. Somehow.

“Prepare.”

Her shoulders relaxed and her knees bent almost on their own accord, hearing the word. She tried to think of what her first move should be, but none of them seemed right with an unknown opponent.

“Combat.”

She and Kandros both held back, neither one of them wanting to make the first move. Instructors allowed this for one minute, then points would start being docked. With an impulse Sol didn’t quite understand, she lunged low towards Kandros, trying to knock her off her feet. Kandros moved quickly out of the way and Sol made note of her speed.

They were more evenly matched than Sol would have thought. Every move Kandros made, Sol was able to easily counter. And whenever Sol went on the offensive, Kandros was able deflect. After five rounds, Sol was exhausted, and wanted nothing more than a soak and a nap. If she could just distract Kandros somehow, maybe this match would end.

Her chance showed up more quickly than she thought. While Sol mused a distraction, Kandros took advantage and with a leg sweep, and Sol was knocked to the ground. Sol was able to recover and jumped up off of the ground. She and Kandros swung at each other at the same time, their arms locking around each other.

_Distraction time._

A quick glance confirmed that their instructor wouldn’t be able to see what Sol was about to do. Before Kandros had a chance to break the hold, Sol slid her hand down and stroked the back of Kandros’ waist, where there was no scales or plates, only hide.

Kandros’ reaction was immediate. Her mandibles flared in shock and she used a sloppy move to try to break their hold. Sol immediately flung Kandros to the floor, pinning her with a smirk on her face. Instead of scowling, like Sol expected, Kandros smirked right back.

“Winner, Vakarian. That’s the last match,” their instructor told the group. “Dismissed.”

The squad and their instructor scattered quickly, leaving only Sol and Kandros in the ring. “You going to let me up, Vakarian?” Kandros asked. Her sub vocals told Sol she was turned on right now. And Sol realized that she was more turned on than she had been in any of her previous spars since starting basic.

Sol forced herself not to jump when she felt Kandros’ hand at her own waist. She took a deep breath; at this point in basic, fighting and fucking went hand in hand. She and Kandros - _Nyreen_ \- certainly wouldn’t be the only ones in their squad looking for a quiet place to fuck.

_Spirits, she’s pretty…_

Jumping up, Sol extended her hand to Nyreen to help her off of the ground. Their fingers lingered together. “You want this?” Sol asked in a whisper. Asking for consent was drilled into recruits’ brains during basic. Sol heard it was one of those lessons that stuck with turians all their lives, wanting consent even after service was completed.

“Yeah, I do,” Nyreen said, her eyes downcast, looking at Sol’s waist. Sol heard herself make a small trill of desire. “You?”

She nodded instead of speaking, letting her sub vocals do the work. Their hands were still entwined. Sol led Nyreen to one of the nearby warehouses, hoping beyond hope that it would be empty.

It was.

Once the door closed, Sol nuzzled her partner’s neck while Nyreen focused on Sol’s waist. Sol closed her eyes. This was not what she expected when she woke up this morning. But it didn’t matter.

They could go back to fighting tomorrow. Or they could keep fucking, Sol thought as her groin plates started to spread. Fucking worked, too. 


	10. Kasumi: Advertisment

Kasumi read the handwritten note for the third time. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something felt… off.

There was no reason to be worried. This was hand delivered by one of her most trusted sources. The turian gentleman in question looking for antiques was well known on Ilium. This wasn’t the case of placing a small article in a magazine and hope no one looked any further. Kasumi always looked further. She never took anything for granted.

Over the years she learned to trust her gut. And something definitely felt wrong.

That wouldn’t stop her from enjoying the scent of the heavy, linen paper though. Almost as good as the smell of old books. She brought the paper to her nose and took a deep breath. She then dropped the note immediately. The scent was wrong, almost clinical. This ad was not written in an expensive office like it should have been.

She opened up her omni-tool and quickly scanned the paper for fingerprints. So many species wore gloves on a regular basis that it would be impossible to get a match, but the program could tell her at least how many sets of different hands had been on the paper. There should be three. Hers, her source, and the turian businessman. The program chimed it’s completion.

There were _four._

And one of them was salarian.

Kasumi laughed as she ripped the paper in half. If it wasn’t for that slightly clinical smell, she would have kept it and enjoyed its scent occasionally. Her old friend must be getting desperate if he thought his trick would work.

_Better luck next time, Bau._


	11. Joker: Happiness

“Is this a comfortable position for you, Jeff?” EDI asked quietly. 

Joker was lying on his back on the floor, pillow propped under his head, EDI on her side curled next to him.  He ran his hand down her back.  “Very.”

Around them there was stillness.  They were in the backup shuttle, powered down, so they were surrounded in darkness and quiet. 

Earth was only hours away.  Joker would need to be in the cockpit soon, but first he wanted some alone time with EDI. Trying to find a private space on the ship was easier said than done.  Though he had it better than most, since his girlfriend knew where everyone on the ship was at all times. 

It was ridiculous.  Here he was, about to fly the _Normandy_ into hell, and Joker was _happy._ There was a melancholy to his happiness though.  It wasn’t born from joy, but from the absolute knowledge that if he was to die during the upcoming fight, he could look back on his life knowing he wouldn’t change a damn thing. 

Not one.  He’d keep the Vrolik syndrome, growing up on Arcturus, everything.  Because it all led to piloting the _Normandy_ , and more importantly, to the woman lying in his arms. 

“Shepard is changing into her dress blues,” EDI said softly. 

“We better get back to the cockpit, then,” Joker said.

EDI stood up and put out both hands to help him off of the floor.  Once upright, she put her arms around him and kissed him gently on the lips.

Joker grinned and put on his cap.  “What was that for?” he asked. 

“For luck,” EDI said. “I want to be able to tell Commander Shepard that I have done absolutely everything in my power to help defeat the Reapers.”

He waited for the inevitable ‘That was a joke,’ punch line. It never came.

Joker palmed the interface to the shuttle, opening the door. They had a war to win. 

“Let’s go kick some ass.”


	12. Jack: Interrogation

“You destroyed a space station,” Nihlus said, looking down at the tattooed woman who refused to give her name. 

“I’ve done a lot of things,” the woman said, crossing her legs.  “Yet I keep getting to do more.”

The interrogation room the hanar provided was dark and cramped.  Nihlus hated this world, far too damp for his liking.  He sat down.  He was not looking forward to hours of interrogation. 

“Look, I’ll make this simple on you,” the woman said, leaning back in her chair.  She drummed her fingers on the table as she slowly looked him up and down.  Nihlus stilled, already getting an idea of what she was about to propose.  His plates started to spread in response.  “Give me three months in a minimum security prison and I’ll suck you off." 

Nihlus had to shift to make room for his plates.  He had heard about some of the things humans did with their mouths but never had experienced it for himself.  And he was so damned _stressed._   That fight with the justicar wore him out more than he thought.

"Deal,” Nihlus said, standing up.  This would make the paperwork so much easier.  He had more than enough to do already, preparing for his time on the _Normandy._

The woman smirked as she dropped to her knees and unclasped his codpiece.  She laughed.  "Turians and blow jobs, man.  Works every time.“ 


	13. James and Kaidan: drinking contest

“So the Commander siding with biotics wasn’t enough, huh, James?  Still trying to prove yourself?” Kaidan asked, leaning back on the couch.

“I will match you shot for shot,” James said, arranging eight shot glasses on the coffee table. 

Around them the party was blaring.  Everyone was dancing, well except for Shepard and Garrus who snuck off to their room, trying not to be obvious about it, with the result being they were totally obvious about it. 

James poured the drinks.  Kaidan slid his four to the edge of the coffee table.  Lifting one up, Kaidan threw it back, feeling the burn in his throat. He didn’t even wait for James to take his shot before taking the next. Four shots was child’s play. 

When they got to the third, James had to steel himself before bringing the shot glass to his lips. 

“You’ve had a lot to drink tonight already, haven’t you, James?” Kaidan asked.

“A little,” James said, holding up his fourth shot.  His words were slurred and he couldn’t focus on the glass in front of him. 

Kaidan decided to have a little fun.  He sent a Throw towards James, only strong enough to push him over, not do any damage.  When the biotics hit James, he shuddered and toppled over, his shot glass tumbling to the floor. 

Within seconds, James was snoring.  Kaidan stood up and wiped his hands on his trousers.  “And Shepard thought I couldn’t play dirty.”


	14. Eve: Stew

“Here,” Eve said, handing Shepard a bowl of what looked to be a hearty stew. “Your yeoman makes this daily for me, Mordin’s orders, but I think your friend could use it more.”

Shepard looked down, feeling the warmth from the bowl spread throughout her fingers and deep into her palms. “What is it?”

“It’s called Korvat,” Eve said. “Battlemasters make this for their warriors when they are wounded.”

Shepard looked into the darkened windows of the medbay, seeing only Grunt’s outline. “Battlemasters?” she asked, biting her lip. She should have never left him behind.

“Wrex told me the story, how you let him out of his tank. I was on Tuchanka when you and he killed the Thresher Maw,” Eve said. Shepard had to look down at the floor under the shaman’s gaze. “This is a tradition thousands of years old. I’m sure it would have been imprinted on him.”

Bringing up the bowl close to her nose, Shepard took a deep breath. It smelled surprisingly good. “Thank you,” Shepard said, with a crisp nod.

Just as Shepard was about to open the medbay doors, Eve said, “Generally the stew is accompanied by a story, to distract from the pain.”

“Understood,” Shepard said, clutching the bowl and the large spoon Eve had given her.

With a deep breath, Shepard entered the medbay. Mordin stood in his corner while Doctor Chakwas stood next to Grunt, omni-tool out. “Report, Doctor?” Shepard asked.

“Ask him yourself,” Chakwas said, her smile soft. “He will be fine, Shepard. Right now, he needs rest.”

“Korvat?” Mordin asked.

Shepard glanced over at him. “Yes, Eve said it would help.”

Mordin nodded before going back to his console.

“Shepard?” a groggy voice asked. Grunt sighed and tried to sit up.

“Hey, Grunt,” Shepard said, moving so she stood next to him. “Got some Korvat for you.”

Grunt sniffed as he put a pillow behind his head. “Smells good.”

“Heard you might like it,” Shepard said, bringing a spoonful to his mouth. Grunt obediently opened his mouth while Shepard fed him a bit. He swallowed thoughtfully, then opened his mouth for more.

Shepard grinned, her guilt easing slightly as she fed him another bite. “I ever tell you about the time I killed a Thresher Maw on foot?”


	15. Garrus and Tali: Pity

After the  _Normandy_ disembarks from the Flotilla, Tali doesn’t leave engineering for almost 24 hours. The results leaves the Thanix canon’s numbers an absolute mess. She starts working longer hours than Garrus, making it almost impossible to catch up. Well, he could if he sacrificed his research, but there are things in his life more important than calibrations right now. 

About a week after they leave, Garrus finds Tali sitting in the mess, cradling her head in her hands. It’s the middle of the night and he doesn’t want to disturb her, so Garrus quietly picks up a bottle of juice (faxius juice, his favorite. He tries not to think too much how it started showing up once he mentioned he liked it to Shepard) and plans to go quietly on his way.

“When was the last time you talked to your father?” Tali said, her voice full of longing. 

His stomach churns and feels full of glass. It’s been too long, Far too long. Back when he lived a different life, trying to bring people justice on Omega.

“You’re such a bos’tet,” Tali says, and the words aren’t in her usual teasing tone. She means them. “You have  _everything._ ”

Garrus leans back on the mess counter and crosses his arms over his chest. He thinks of his squad, how he led them to nothing but an early grave. “You’re wrong about that,Tali,” he says, trying to keep his voice light. She’s lashing out, he understands, and better at him than someone else. He can take her anger.

“You have your family. You have whatever’s going on between you and Shepard,” Tali says, standing up. She leans forward, placing her hands on the table. “My family is dead. And my new ship? Full of people who want to raise themselves up by pushing me down.”

Her voice cracks and Garrus can tell behind her mask that she’s crying. “Tali…” He wants to reach out, offer some show of support, but that isn’t the type of relationship they have. Theirs is banter and showmanship and trying to top each other’s high score in  _Varren Racer._

“You have everything,” she repeats, then turns around and marches out of the mess. 

She’s right, in the end. Compared to her, he does have everything. Yes, he lost his squad, but she’s lost most of two. Her father is dead and last he heard, treatments for his mother went well. 

And Shepard seems to like him enough to stock faxius juice. Not to mention wanting to blow off some steam together. 

Raising his head, Garrus looks at the ceiling, to a spot where Shepard is either scanning planets or sleeping, then checks his omni-tool. While it’s late on the  _Normandy_ , it’s early in Cipritine. Before he can change his mind, Garrus heads back to the battery. 

He has a call to make.


	16. Thane - Unrequited

“Alright, Miranda. You’re sure you can handle the biotic bubble?” **  
**

For the first time since he met Shepard, Thane is certain she is making the wrong choice. Everything about Shepard screams confidence, until biotics are involved. Shepard is a soldier, more comfortable with guns and omni-tools than anything involving eezo. They’ve talked at length about biotics in Life Support; they’ve talked about everything in Life Support.

He found himself looking forward to her visits more and more, even as the ship’s scuttlebutt all paired her up with Jacob Taylor. And once Thane realized his feelings went deeper than friendship, that she was his _siha_ , he slowly backed away from what he craved more than anything.

Miranda nods, and Thane only sees confidence in her gaze. But Shepard… There is tension in Shepard’s jaw, fingers curling not not quite fists. She’s uncertain, and uncertainty will lead people to their deaths here in this place.

“Thane, Tali, with me,” Shepard says, and the slight crack Thane hears in her voice proves she’s not quite sure. “Jacob, you lead the fire team.”

“Got it, Shepard,” Jacob says, pushing his shoulders back, nothing uncertain about the swagger as he walks towards the others in the group.

Thane watches him, watches the man who has captured the heart of his _siha_ , and hopes he is up to the task of supporting Shepard in all that will come her way over the next few years.

“Ready, everyone?” Shepard asks the group of four, all preparing for the long walk ahead.

They all nod. Shepard cracks her neck, the earlier uncertainty he noticed completely gone, with only the cool exterior he’d grown used to remaining. They are ready.

And until the Collectors flew him away to his death, Thane believed they were.


	17. Shepard/Jack - Will You Talk to Me

“Will you talk to me?” Shepard asked, even as his hand tried to figure out the buttons and clasps of Jack’s top. After rescuing her and the Grissom Academy students and getting them settled in the cargo bay, Shepard couldn’t get Jack back up to his quarters fast enough.

“Fuck talking,” Jack said, dragging her teeth down his neck. “Do you even know how long it’s been since we fucked?”

“Two hundred and seventeen days,” Shepard said before he could stop himself. Jack leaned back and looked at him, a look in her eyes he couldn’t quite read. _Shit._ “Would be my guess, I mean. If I had to guess, that is.”

Jack took her hands out of his pants and shook her head. “You fucking nerd. You counted the _days_?”

Shepard nodded. He might as well admit the truth. One silent promise he had made to himself the night she showed up in his quarters for the first time was never to lie to her. “What can I say? I got bored when I was in custody.”

“Unbelievable,” Jack said, throwing her jacket to the floor before starting to unclasp her top. “Here I was, trying to make something of my goddamn self, thinking you were fucking _dead_ when the Reapers hit Earth and you…”

Shepard grabbed her hand, bringing her in close, so there was no space between them. “I thought about you every day,” he said softly, sliding his hands down the back of her trousers to cup her ass.

“You mean you jerked off to me every day,” Jack said, and Shepard could see a hint of a smile dancing along her lips.

“Semantics,” Shepard said, moving his hips forward so she could feel his erection. “I missed you.”

Jack kissed him, then, hard before capturing his lower lip between her teeth. “Fuck you,” she whispered, sitting down on the bed, pulling him down on top of her.

Shepard smiled, being well enough versed in Jack speak to know that she missed him, too.


	18. Thane/Collins: You Look Really Tired

“You look really tired,” Collins said, brushing her bare foot against Thane’s.

“I shouldn’t need to remind you, Siha, that since coming back from the Collector Base, we haven’t been spending our nights sleeping,” Thane said, leaning back on the couch in her quarters, folding his hands over his stomach.

Collins felt heat rise to her cheeks. Good lord, did the man just make her blush like she was some sort of school girl? She had told the Illusive Man to go to hell just three days ago, and since then, she had spent every moment not fixing the ship or dealing with those loyal to Cerberus still on her crew with Thane.

How was it she couldn’t get enough of him? She had been in relationships before, but never had she felt this consuming need, this overwhelming desire for another being. Collins had to admit she was slightly worried. There was a thrill in falling in love so quickly, but she knew their time was limited. Thane measured the rest of his life in months, not years, and the thought of picking up the pieces after he was gone terrified her.

With a quick move, Collins went to straddle Thane’s lap. His fingers dug into her hips as she rested her forearms on his chest. “Suppose we should actually get a good night’s sleep tonight,” she said with a grin.

Thane nodded. “That would be agreeable,” he said. “But will your mind be clear enough to rest? Something is worrying you.”

She bit her lip, slightly pleased that he had noticed. Maybe talking to him about the mission wouldn’t be too big of a security breach. “I got a message from Admiral Hackett,” Collins said, deciding to lay it out. “He wants me to infiltrate a batarian outpost. Solo.”

“You have many gifts, Siha, but subtlety is not one of them,” Thane said, his voice soft. “Soldiers rely on brute strength, not stealth.”

“I know, I know,” Collins said. “That’s why I’m worried.” She pushed herself up back into a sitting position. Letting a grin slip into her voice, she added, “Think you can teach me the art of being a covert assassin in forty-eight hours? That’s when we’ll be at Aratoht.”

Thane simply mouthed the word ‘no.’ Collins swatted him on the shoulder. “Suppose I’m not meant to be an assassin, then.”

“You would not be you, if you were anything other than a soldier,” Thane said, his hands sliding up her back. Collins let him pull her close, and reveled in simply being _held._ “Your shoulders must be broad enough to carry the weight of the entire galaxy.” He kissed her temple and Collins pressed her cheek against his. “I will share your burden as long as I am able.”

The lack of sleep over the last few nights hit her all at once. Or maybe it was knowing that Thane would be there beside her for all the madness ahead. At least, until he wasn’t.

For now, though, she was determined to enjoy the time they had and not mourn the time in the future they wouldn’t share. With a yawn, Collins said, “Bet I’ll be able to carry those burdens more easily after a nap.”

She could feel Thane nod in agreement, so she closed her eyes, ready to get a bit of rest.


End file.
